New Australian citizens prepare to vote for the first time

Roughly one in 20 vote informally and an estimated 1.4 million have not enrolled.

However, half a million people will vote for the first time in the upcoming federal election.

Many will be new Australian citizens and this will be the first time they have cast a vote that will be properly counted, and will count.

Burmese refugee Sawyed Amin is looking forward to his vote.

For him, it is more than a chance to choose the government, it is the first acknowledgement of his democratic rights.

"I can say today that I am an Australian citizen, but never before have I been a citizen of a country," he said.

"I have never said I am a citizen of my country."

Mr Amin, 38, is a welder who lives in Zillmere in Brisbane’s northern suburbs with his wife and children.

He has been in Australia since 2008 and became a citizen last year.

Today we can say we have freedom and got opportunity

Sawyed Amin

He was 15 when Myanmar, formerly called Burma, held its last full election, the result of which was ignored by the country’s military regime.

Last year some Burmese voted in by-elections for a number of seats in the country’s parliament, the first democratic moves.

Mr Amin is a Rohingya, a Muslim ethnic minority which he says are allowed even fewer freedoms than other Burmese.

"When I was in my country I never understood human rights and freedom, because it always oppresses us, this government, for maybe 50 years," he said.

"We never also can move freely and fairly.

"Always we are very sad and very afraid and move one place to other place."

The chance to vote is just one part of living in Australia that Mr Amin appreciates.

"Today we can say we have freedom and got opportunity," he said.

"I can work, I can do everything, whatever I want here."

New citizens 'empowered' by right to vote

There are many first-time voters in a similar situation.

The Australian Electoral Commission holds regular voter education sessions for new citizens, which are trainer Karen Burnes's favourite.

"The new citizens are really keen to learn about how our electoral system works," she said.

"They want to know how to vote formally, or correctly and they really want to participate in the system so they're great.

Case study: Saifulla Shafi

Mr Shafi is one of about 700 Rohingya who have come to Australia from Myanmar, formerly called Burma, since 2008.

He said he spent years living in Malaysia before coming to Australia that year, and had to leave behind his wife and children.

He described a life of ethnic conflict and government persecution in Myanmar.

He said he feared violence and could not work, or move freely, needing to get permission to stay overnight in the homes of friends or relatives.

Now Mr Shafi lives in a modest share house with other Rohingya men in Zillmere in Brisbane’s north.

"I have never had a new citizen session that wasn't abuzz with the new information and wanting to know more."

The new citizens are also excited about something else they have never had the chance to do – run for office.

"The questions they ask about becoming candidates and those sorts of things really make you think 'here are people that are going to do something with this newfound freedom they have'," Ms Burnes said.

"Now they are here in a country that they can aspire to something like, it is really empowering for them."

Burundian refugee Jacqueline Misago attended an electoral education session at Brisbane’s Multicultural Development Association and has now enrolled to vote.

Australia has a small Burundian community, many of whom came after fleeing civil war in the West African nation and spending years in refugee camps in countries like Tanzania.

Ms Misago came to her session with a group of fellow Burundians, brightly dressed, her young baby strapped to her back in traditional African fashion.

Like everyone in the session, she listened intently and was an enthusiastic participant in a mock election.

"I have got my citizenship and I am learning step by step how the politics work in Australia," she said.

"(But) I don’t know much about Australian politics."

Many immigrants feel the same way, and they find Australian politics confusing.